//------------------------------// // Master? // Story: “THIS IS SPARTA!!!!!!” // by Sawtoothetherium //------------------------------// Luna woke with the dawn, she always did. She opened her eyes and was lightly confused to see the courtyard with the well instead of the slaves quarters. She shifted lightly and felt feathers on her back. Then she remembered, her master came up behind her and simply tried to be friendly, and now she was sleeping with him. Fear stabbed at her heart, what kind of punishment does this elicit? She had no idea, nor did she wish to find out. She went to get out of her masters embrace but stopped, he did put his wing there in the first place. “Are you alright,” He asked. Luna got up and backed away, “I-I’m sorry that was most improper of me.” “No need to be concerned,” he said, “Honestly I rather enjoyed it.” Luna blushed slightly, “S-Still, I shouldn’t have done that.” “You didn’t do anything,” He said getting up. Luna opened her mouth to reply but stopped, she looked down and nodded, “Yes master.” Her master sighed, “Please, you need only call me that in public, when alone call me Leonidas.” “But that is most improper,” Luna said, “I am still your property be it in public or no.” “But that means that I can grant you any freedom I wish,” he told her a mischievous grin on his face. She truly did want to agree, and she did, but she was afraid of how it would turn out. She had grown fond of her master and him fond of her, but still she was nervous. Luna relented. “O-okay then,” she said, “I-I need to get to my chores.” Leonidas watched her leave, and smiled. She looked just as nervous as he felt, he had never in his immortal life approached a mare like that. He had only slept by her side, but still that had scared him. One of the bad things about her being his slave was that she felt as though his wish was her command. He didn’t want that, he wanted her to feel like his equal. She still had not removed the collar, he didn’t necessarily mind, to him it just added to her beauty, but still it inquired that she was owned. He had taken notice that she was an alicorn like him, meaning she was immortal like him. He rose and went to the drill yard for the daily training that all Spartans above the age of seven were subject too. Leonidas being much larger than all other Warhorses in Sparta and maybe even Greece was unfazed by even the challenges that brings some Spartans to their knees. First was an obstacle course that required a lot of moving around quickly in full battle armor, shield and spear included. Second was a test of endurance, see how long you could hold yourself in a half down push-up position in full armor with another fully armored spartan standing on your back. Leonidas had done this test enough that they had simply started piling anvils on his back, still he did not go down until about twenty minutes later. The Third and final exercise was battle practice, use your shield as a weapon, not just your spear and sword. Considering any spartan trainee could reduce a dragons skull to powder by striking with their shield once, you did not want to be on the wrong side of the shield Leonidas carried. Once the daily morning exercises were complete Leonidas went down to the barracks to study where the next enemy would come from. Athens seemed like it would be a thorn in the side but no real threat, still, it would be a good warm up round. The real threat would be the Thebes, they had been pushing towards Sparta for a while now and showed signs of wanting to conquer them. That wasn’t going to happen. He had sent a group of eight hundred Spartans to face them, they returned with no casualties and victorious. Thebes still showed signs of aggression but were more weary now, after all, eight hundred had defeated nine thousand, and that wasn’t even close to a quarter of Spartas force. He had received a message from Thebes saying that if they surrendered then mercy would be shown. He had replied with a simple statement, ‘no such thing as surrender’. ***** Luna went about her chores as normal, but now her mind was elsewhere. What had happened last night? Why had she slept with her master? She was just so confused, that wasn’t how this worked. She does not seduce her master she obeys him. But she didn’t think she had seduced him, if she had she did not mean to. Luna went to bed at the regular time hoping to clear her head, but sleep never came. After hours of tossing and turning she finally decided to get up and go to the well as she had the night before. She sat down next to it and looked at the gibbous moon for a time trying to calm herself. It worked, somewhat, she still couldn’t stop thinking about the previous night but it wasn’t as vexing as before. “Here again?” Her master said coming up behind her. “Yes,” Luna replied meekly, “I just cant get my mind off... that.” He nodded knowing what she meant, “You really shouldn’t be too concerned. It was after all, my decision as well as yours. If you think you have crossed any lines you are wrong.” He gently lifted her head up with his hoof under her chin. Luna saw a gentle smile on his face, and she had to smile back. He embraced her and she returned the embrace. He rested his chin on her head just behind her horn, and rested hers on his excessively muscular chest. She felt safe there, his embrace was warm and welcoming. A realization hit Luna like a wrecking ball, she had developed feelings for her owner. This realization did not stop her from nuzzling her master lovingly, a gesture he returned. Soon they entered sleep.